Nationals GM expects Martinez to return as manager

Sep 21, 2018; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez (4) looks on from the dugout against the New York Mets in the fifth inning at Nationals Park. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Dave Martinez is expected to return as manager for the Washington Nationals next season, general manager Mike Rizzo said Sunday.

“We haven’t considered anything else,” Rizzo told reporters in comments published by the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.

Some remain skeptical of Rizzo, who made similar comments about Dusty Baker’s job security toward the end of last season. Then the club fired Baker one week after the Nationals were eliminated in the playoffs by the Chicago Cubs.

Martinez, 54, hopes to avoid the revolving door that has led to the dismissal of six Nationals managers in the previous 14 years.

Washington entered the final day of the regular season with an 82-79 record. The Nationals have posted a winning record since trading veterans Daniel Murphy and Matt Adams in August.

Rizzo praised the temperament of Martinez, who was a longtime bench coach under Cubs skipper Joe Maddon.

“We think he’s got a firm grasp on the clubhouse, and he’s doing a good job in the dugout,” Rizzo said to MASN. “We think he’s getting better each and every day, each and every game. I really like the way the team has responded to him, and I think they’re playing extremely hard for him.”

As a player, Martinez was a .276 lifetime hitter with 91 home runs, 580 RBIs and 183 stolen bases. He spent 16 years in the big leagues with nine teams, including the Montreal Expos, which later moved to Washington.